MEL1

What's bemusing in this article is that it is now nearly end of Nov. Ying was elected in July (ooops... promoted).

Obama obviously just heard of her and decided, on merit alone this week, that's she's a dimwit upon which he can load a loaded U.S. military base at reduced reduced rates {i.e. for free} and she'll be wallowing in his muck. Slightly late commendation if you ask me, considering his Secretary of State has only just vetted the area.

The time-line seems to be lacking somewhat. Either that, or he's on a promise to somewhere fast and nowhere. Maybe the U.S. can pay for anti-flooding measures for their newly acquisitioned aeronautical bases, and in future shoot all the water that comes into poorer areas. In that way it can promote Chinese antagonism from within Thailand, destroy current Sino relations, and the future is nigh for rice farmers when the Big Boy returns because they'll have laptops to negotiate their sale of land on.

I didn't know Obama was so naieve, and ignorant. Then again, he's a U.S. of A. president, so why should anything surprise me.

I wonder if there is 2M rai somewhere, owned by the S'atra dynasty, available for sale to an Air-Force conglomerate? Hum.... I wonder.... 555

-mel.

"It's at the full discretion of His Majesty," he told Reuters on Wednesday in Dubai in reference to the pardon issue.

He said he did know what the Cabinet discussed at its confidential meeting on Tuesday.

------------

He did know what was discussed? Jing lor?

How is a convicted fugitive, living in exile in Dubai, privy to Cabinet discussions in Thailand. OK, stupid question, as we all know the answer. Oh My Buddha, she's more than stupid!!!

But, in all reality, he should even be charged with being a party to Cabinet and Government information and eavesdropping - right now!

Tuesday - Room emptied, in-video link to the middle-east, bullied and bent instructions, and "oh! Don't forget lads, this is a secret!"

Wednesday - Chalerm walks out to media, "Soz boys, can't say. It's a big secret."

Anybody know how to contact Ronin?

-mel.

Can any of the rich TV members give me an idea how high a pile of 1000 x 1000 Baht notes would be? I only got 20 at hand, not enough for a good extrapolation.

Just curious how many duffel bags they'd need to carry that 200 Million.

I walked with 3 million, 4 years ago, in cash. It was inside a swollen laptop bag.

One large sports bag is enough to carry 200mill.

-Sinnawatra

Previous to latter name joke, the prior is true.. :jap:

"In addition, the government has also allocated a large central budget of Bt120 billion. But the budget bill does not include details on the proposed use of this sum."

Isn't that about the cost of a few flights from Dubai to BKK, with an additional, but inclusive, expenses charge for the repatriation of some former fled fugitives?

-mel.

Thailand's Deputy PM warns reporter she could end up in jail for her questioning of amnesty for Thaksin. Video in Thai.

Hmmmm... wonder if that jail threat applies to TV posters who have also questioned this amnesty in droves.

Didn't you know Thaksin hates farangs being in Thailand, unless they are short term travellers?

However, working for a Swiss bank on your CV would put you in good stead for a long term stay.

If you are farang, and don't work for a bank where his assets are frozen, and he makes it back as PM here, then I suggest you get something like 200K Baht of readies available quickly. You'll be able to buy a residency permit from a red shirt in LopBuri immigration for less, and if that doesn't work then, when he cancels all farang work permits until his readies are released from overseas banks, then at least you've got your flight money. Unless, of course, Suvarna hasn't been burnt to a cinder before then. mwa ha ha ha

Hitlers were poodles..... Pol-Pots were chihauhuas, Thais are like sheep and farangs, well farangs we're just like noodles.

mel.

How do you tell if a Thai politician is lieing, his lips are moving.

How do you know Mr T when you see him?

He denies all knowledge of the A-Team.

In fact there's a picture of Mr T in action, not too far from here...... "It wasn't me, it was my sister!"

Take a look left.........

<------------------------------

mel.

Here we go...

Hurry pals, another season of popular soap opera is staring!

Prepare your popcorn, have a seat, enjoy the show...

Since yesterday, no one seems to remember that we are still in a flood crisis.

That, for the reds, was always an unfortunate diversion from the main menu.

I feel sorry for them. These floods must have really fecked up their December plans.

mel.

Meanwhile, vice president of the Lawyer Council of Thailand, Kriengsak Worramongkolchai, stated that the royal pardon decree, which is promulgated on an annual basis, normally excludes individuals convicted of corruption or in drug cases, so it is uncertain whether the decree for this year will cover them.

He said if it does, many people convicted of corruption as well as fugitives could benefit from the amnesty, which is against the rule of law.

Can anyone clarify these points. There are some articles which seem to suggest that the corruption clause was something added by the Democrats in the last government whereas this statement seems to suggest it has always been there. Is there a precedence for people convicted of corruption being pardoned before??

Also, on the second paragraph, I thought that what was being talked about here was a royal pardon and not an amnesty and as such was seperate to the rule of law rather than against it.

You are correct. Corruption was added specifically to stop Thaksin from coming home.

Come to think of it. Is corruption more bad than other crimes like murder, rape etc?

Corruption normally precludes, includes or coerces murder, extorsional rape and hidden measures of the varying ways to make physical or mental/emotional torture.

So, yes, it it worse.

mel.

Can anybody name the composition of this Senate?

Is so, can anybody identify how many of its compositors may hold an off-shore bank account?

I'm rolling over with enthusiasm for this Senate's deomoncratic decisions. JJING.

mel.

Curious if you read the article???

The opposition is required by law to submit the motion via the Senate Speaker and plans to do so on Friday in the hope that the no-confidence debate will be held before the House session ends Nov 28, he said.

lets try to keep this within the realms of reality, thanks.

Can you tell me, in your grander experience of course, of an unbendable Thai law, assuming your bold refers to Thai law??

That is a question of 'reality', I said.

mel.

Can anybody name the composition of this Senate?

Is so, can anybody identify how many of its compositors may hold an off-shore bank account?

I'm rolling over with enthusiasm for this Senate's deomoncratic decisions. JJING.

mel.

Time to deal with flood, not deal with blood. :jap:

mel.

Not too many words to say really, as most have already observed it was to be half expected.

However, if Mr T does come back, get off scot free and wangle his way back into power then I say this;

"Take care of yourselves and your loved ones when the civil war breaks out!"

-m.

Why do all of these articles continually refer only to BKK?

Why isn't there an article "Water stabilised for 5 weeks in Bang Pun, Phatumtani, at 2m. No drop in levels in the near future. Your homes still full of crappy black water. No recompense, as your live outside of the BKK BMA certificate of qualification area. Enjoy"

Let's all concentrate continually on those who have had a meagre 50cm, shall we. How sad.

I'm getting irate, but know it will get me nowhere.

-m.

Maybe the Shinawatras have no properties there?

Lol.

You gave me a smile. KKK.

-M.

"the flood crisis in the capital."

Crisis in the capital??

LMAO. You're just trying to make me more irate.....

-m.

Why do all of these articles continually refer only to BKK?

Why isn't there an article "Water stabilised for 5 weeks in Bang Pun, Phatumtani, at 2m. No drop in levels in the near future. Your homes still full of crappy black water. No recompense, as your live outside of the BKK BMA certificate of qualification area. Enjoy"

Let's all concentrate continually on those who have had a meagre 50cm, shall we. How sad.

I'm getting irate, but know it will get me nowhere.

-m.

Love it! - Every word of it!

Good Job!

-m. :jap:

_ "Pol Gen Pracha said that he believed the water overflowing from the gap would not have significant impact on water level either behind the wall and or in inner Bangkok.

He also promised the take a good care of the people affected by the 'Big Bag' barrier, particularly food distribution and garbage collecting."_

I see the Police General is now an expert in water flow management, and that 'He' will 'start' to take care of the people affected by the barrier.

What about all the rest? Where have the police been since this began, apart from getting cars ship-wrecked?

Makes me laugh! NOT!!

-m.

Who's choices?

Sorry, Achara, but I've seen better reports from Grade 4 science students that are more maturely googled, and with points to "answers".

What exactly are you trying to say, purely than you support YoungUnlucky?

What is all this differing information that you write about, but point in no direction?

Everybody can quote figures and ideas, and relate them to absolutely nothing near a simile or to a non-applicable alien comparison.

In fact, that's what most Thai politicians do in their annual reports....

Which Thai opinion is this report aimed at? The 'educated' ( ) lot at the top, or the average dim-wit ( ) Thai who doesn't get much of a choice?

-m.

There's a front-page article in Thai Rath today which says that Japanese businesses are accusing the government of not being 'sincere' in their rehabilitation plans, of giving out false information about the situation, and for lacking clear standards for industrial parks.

They are also complaining about general lack of government help especially regarding all those factories in Ayutthaya, where the companies are estimating damage at a billion dollars, with 16,000 people out of work, but no help has boon received for 2 months.

Standard corporate negotiating M.O. Scream, stamp your feet, and make a few threats to get attention. It really is no different the way the Japanese car manufacturers played off some U.S. states when they were selecting a manufacturing plant location. Give us tax breaks or we won't build. Change the local bylaws about noise and let us encroach on agricultural land, or we won't come. The reason the Japanese auto manufacturers are crapping themselves is because they shifted production to Thailand following the earthquake. They did so because their own facilities were damaged and they still cannot get a steady power supply. It's rather hypocritical for these companies to be whining in public when they don''t say a word back in Japan about their own country's inability to recover almosy 8 months after the quake.

I do give credit to Ford for a more intelligent approach. Mind you, the JV with Mazda was located in an area that was outside a flood zone. I guess Ford put some thought into the location of its plant. I would anticipate that Ford will be thrilled if its competitors burn some bridges.The factory, in the Rayong district, has an annual output capacity of 120,000 pickup trucks and 100,000 passenger cars, split evenly between Ford and Mazda. The Japanese located in their usual ghetto like zones and they were the ones that selected Ayuttha which has a long history of flooding. Typical Japanese corporate behaviour. One big company locates there and the rest follow like good little robots.

Interesting words, considering Mazda is a Japanese company, with 80% of its manu in Japan, still. Thailand is a small part of Mazda's output, and an even smaller part of Ford's interests.

The Rayong plant was planned and built by the Japanese, with Ford investment to get into the Asian market only.

It's easy to knock the other Japanese manufacturers for investing in Thailand, but what was wrong with their investing in Ayutthaya anyway? There was a willing work force there, and an area that would succeed from Japanese investment. Who could have known about this disaster of a flood? Do you really think Ford influenced Mazda in the area of Rayong, and checked it for floods 60 years ago? I doubt that very much!!

Why would you negate on the other Japanese companies for trying, but support just one other Japanese company because it is attached to Ford in someway?

This topic isn't about bad investment areas, it is about the current possible abstractness of Thai ability to support foreign investments, and the reality of the crisis; and, as I said, nobody who is in the depths of water, and that's a large chunk, gives a dam_n. If there is no work force with current housing, a clean and healthy environment to live in, due care from its own government then NOBODY is going to invest here, and that's anywhere - including precious Rayong!

The abstract reality is that the populus of people who needed severe help didn't get one iota, those who need it now are getting little (from the powers that be, I say), and the future looks bleak for a very long time for the People's needs.

Sort out the abstract is what I say the Govnt should be doing. Abhisit was right! Deal with the needs now, AND THEN deal with what is needed for employment and the future (including flood aversion).

-m.

There's a front-page article in Thai Rath today which says that Japanese businesses are accusing the government of not being 'sincere' in their rehabilitation plans, of giving out false information about the situation, and for lacking clear standards for industrial parks.

They are also complaining about general lack of government help especially regarding all those factories in Ayutthaya, where the companies are estimating damage at a billion dollars, with 16,000 people out of work, but no help has boon received for 2 months.

I believe that is what the vast majority of educated and worldly Thaivisa members think too! But maybe this is the "wake up call", maybe Thailand now realises that a corrupt society makes it a weak society which in turn provides weak willed (minded?) politicians. I haven't been affected by the floods other than missing out on some eggs or beers but I can empathise with the ordinary people. Yet when I watch the policicians at work I just keep wondering what sort of people get to the top of the tree in Thailand. It's certainly not the best, most able and honest, but what do I know, I'm only a guest in the kingdom paying taxes and jumping through petty hoops for the priviledge.

You made a very acute and correct observation in your last sentence, and I agree thoroughly. We, all farangs that is (excepting residency holders - few in numbers), are all 'guests' here, and yet so many complain about events here and the way of life, and yet wish to remain here. To me that doesn't add up, for one.

My observation, though, is that you set aside 'ordinary' people into the same context as your missing out on the floods and being farang. I don't objecy heavily, but I do object to that. My wife and I revisited our home in Sin Thorn Village, Bang Pun, Phatumtani for the first time in a month. The stench when we opened the door made us vomit, and we were in a boat traversing the front doors when opened, as the water is still 1.8m in the living room we entered. The water is black, is a sea of stagnant excrement and urine filled water. We rowed, with the man we paid 500 baht to obviously, to the bottom of the stairs and went up. We are lucky, the water originally only got half way upstairs, and all we own is now safe and unaffected. However, we won't be able to live there for at least another 3 months, in reality. My wife is Thai.

My point being: I would consider her 'ordinary' (well actually, she is extraordinary, but that's besides), or an ordinary Thai (although she is a Uni lecturer), and I would consider myself to be an 'ordinary' farang, who pays taxes and works here legally. Thus, surely 'ordinary' can embrace both 'a farang' and his 'ordinary' Thai wife in the same context, can't it?

Going back to the politicians. If you haven't been affected by floods then your obesrvations can't be nearly 50% in emotion than those who have have been, and are going, through it.

We were told continually that there was no problem in Bang Pun, until the walls of our estate collapsed at 2.00a.m. and we were suddenly, within 2 hours, having water in our lounge which is raised 3ft above road level. We had been lied to and misled. Then when we got to a safe haven, we saw the reality of Phatum and our village and our home having been flooded deliberately to keep the capital dry. This country has always been a 'one for one, and one for all' country, never occupied, always the people fought together. Well there is a divide now. Believe me there is. Even between the people of Don Mueang who are moaning at 1m! and the residents of inner BKK. Beyond Don Meang, we know, we have Rangsit, Phatum, Navarnakorn, and Ayutthaya to whom the sluice gates were opened in reverse order, to give time for BKK to prepare.

Most of those people had faith, to some degree, in politicians - of both the resident and the opposition parties. Now there is scorn and hatred for most politicians, and these are words of reflection from 'ordinary' people in all of these areas, after long discussions. Nobody cares about current business, or future foreign investments at this moment. Nobody cares whether Yuan, Yen, Dollars or Won are coming right now, or in the near distant future. They, we, really don't care for pressing foreign investment, because it isn't going to be shortcoming anyway. We care about getting our homes, our communities and our environments back up and running, cleaned, and life back to normal. I believe that is also what foreign countries would like to see too, before they consider even re-investing if they invested before.

If you can't look after your own, then you sure aren't going to look after somebody else's.

-m. :jap:

Bill: I'm coming with you to Bangkok.

Hillary: Absolutely not!

Bill: Hillary, have you found any 'bent' holes in PM Yingluck yet?

Hillary: You're not using that bent contact to make any more stains!

"bygones be bygones"

"Prime Minister Yingluck tried again to cool them down saying all concerned parties should not take the nitpicking seriously."

I'm sure she read Kiplings' words, and noted them:

IF you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make not make allowance for their doubting too;

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting for pumps and correct info,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,

Or being hated, don't give way to hating just look pretty and smile,

And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:

If you can dream - and not make nighmares your master;

If you can think - and definitely not make thoughts your own or your aims;

If you can meet with Triumph and pretend it happens not the same,

And treat those two MBA and Bankok impostors just the same;

If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken

Unwisted by knaves to make a truth for the intelligents,

Or watch the things you gave your little wind to, broken,

And stoop and knock'em with worn-out tools:

If you can make one heap of all your winnings along with Bro

And risk not one on one turn of pitch-and-toss,

And never lose, and start again at your grand beginnings

And never breathe a word about your gains;

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone,

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except that it's exported fro him, say 'Hold on!'

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

' Or walk with Kings - nor lose the common touch,

if neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If some men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute placing untraceable gains

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run to get to Dubai,

Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,

And - which is more - you'll be a true Shinawattra, my dear!

-m.

Don't worry about it lads!

You can believe every word Yinglunlucky says, you CAAAANN.

IF YOU'RE SAFE - then you're safe! Simple as~

If next day there's an iota of a little change, then the public and army and police interrupted her BKK Governor's plans. It wasn't she.

If you get wet in BKK, don't worry about it - it'll be a swift clean up.

Water in Pahtum, Band Pa-in/Bang Pun/Rangsit and Don Meuang? Sod them - they aren't a part of the infrastructure of the inner city! B.S.

We'll have that 8 months of stagnant water from bewteen 3 and 4m in our troughed homes for at least 2 months........ followed by Cholera, Typhoid, Leptoscrirosis, in creaed malaria and E-coli.

While the dambusters fail to realise it will get you anyway.

Don't believe it is coming to you, whilst eating your croissant outside of Siam Paragon.

One day you might get a little shock.

-m.

Well blow me down.

I post in the sudden rises in 'death rates' flash forum, and I talked about electrocution deaths, and suddenly there's now a warning for BKK.

Thanks for the forwarning in Ayyuthaya, Pathum etc. you wise ad[bstd]visors.

-m.

Well, Roger, as you posted up on another thread is a humanitarian catastrophe looming, so I prefer to investigate thing from a "where there is a will there is a way".

How many old, aged and young, and non-working could be moved out of the city and housed elsewhere by other Thai's? Millions, no doubt. How many areas of the city could be completely evacuated and housed by others? Millions. They do it every single year moving back home for Songkran, or ironically elections.

If it makes the whole thing quicker, asking people to evacuate their currently dry homes, condos and offices, to enable the whole process to be over and done with quicker, why is it impossible if people are given a week to get out? Instead of wasting time protecting areas that are going to be inundated anyway, why not focus on putting up better protection around the absolutely vital things in the downtown. By that I don't include Paragon for example by the way.

You are right. Perhaps I over-reacted Thai at Heart. A couple of weeks ago I even suggested the same thing myself here. You're right ... it's never too late. And it's probably still possible. Someone should be looking into this as a contingency.

Still ... I'm happy to share what I'm drinking if you'll share some of your's with me

They were evidently very wealthy. Even sadder, there was a very old bloke, upstairs surrounded by medical equipment they had bought.

Unfortunately, that old bloke was his wife, and she has been in a coma for 3 years. He was 73, and his wife was 73, I got that much.

-m.